Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Chapter 9

I was forced to meet with the Counselor George dude twice a week. Each time I went, I grudgingly opened the door slowly, and every footstep was one of extreme reluctance. I would stubbornly say hello and hopefully nothing more than that except for a goodbye. All he got from me were reactions that I guarded well under my stone facade.

And while, maybe, one could say it was fun to watch the mighty George struggle, it wasn't fun at all. The sessions were always cut short to his frustration, and were always boring as well as vexing to us both. He wanted to know me and I just wanted to know what the dinner for that night was.

School, too, was the same cycle of arduousness. Homework was a guarantee at the end of each day, but there was no guarantee that it would be finished.

And, seeing as how I didn't interact much with other mortals, my social life at school was pretty crappy. I'd like to say that I was used to it, but still- everytime at lunch I would kind of sit awkwardly in the library: where I got fed up with everything and everyone and-

I was in a funk. A 'love funk,' as quoted by Annabeth with sympathetic eyes and a sour frown.

...had I really been in love? Am I still in love?

Considering that my heart felt like bees swarming around non(-stop)?

Its funny; I always laughed at the rare movies I watched for their cheesy romance, of how every time there's a guy and a girl, it was 'mandatory' for them to have a romantic relationship instead of just being cool around each other.

In fact, I got so stressed out that I had taken to meditating in Central Park at random times of the day. It wasn't completely outrageous or random. Odd, probably, but it calmed my mind and it was one of those areas where I could see the sky, which also equaled stars and the moon and memories of her when it was nighttime.

Apart from fighting monsters, it was a great stress reliever.

And when the moonlight came twinkling down upon Central Park one evening, I saw her again.

"Hey, boy!"

My head turned so fast I almost got whiplash. That voice...

I blinked, and my eyes were met by familiar obsidian eyes. My eyes widening, I hugged the girl I hadn't seen in ages. After a while of embracing, I held her at arms length and took in the sight of her.

She looked the same but there was something about her that changed… makeup perhaps?

"Where were you?" I demanded, not necessarily angry, but still tremendously worried.

"Art thou not happy to see me?" She asked, and even though her lips didn't quiver like I saw in those chick flicks Annabeth and I had been forced to watch by Silena- her eyes went into a weird mode.

"Hey, no," I protested, but inside, my heart pounded because she was finally here. "But how could you just leave like that?"

"I did not know thou was meant to tell somebody that thou was leaving," she asked confused, before frowning, "Did thou not get my note?"

"...Thank you...?" I said a little sarcastically. "But that's it?! That was your 'I'm leaving' letter?"

True to her character, Zoë did her famous head in the air, nose faced upwards pose of stubbornness. "Why?"

I sighed in frustration, and my mind flashed back to when I first met her- back when her definition of morals included breaking in and threatening the person living in it.

"Well?"

Deep inside, I saw her eyes: narrowed but with an air of curiosity as if she truly didn't know.

"Because... Because I thought that maybe, I was more than just any 'boy' to you," I said.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Pardon?"

"Well, that doesn't matter anymore, you're back!" I exclaimed hurriedly. My giddiness acted up again and I stared at her with my previous joyfulness. Her face glowed ethereally in the moonlight. "Did you get so obsessed with silver that you put it on your face?"

All seemed to be forgotten, though I could tell she was still a little warbled. Yet, she still smiled a grisly smile, as if the thought was preposterous. "Not at all, Perseus. Guess what?"

"Is that a squeal?" I asked, only to be met with a small punch in the shoulder. When she didn't bother to reply at all, except with a 'guess what,' I guessed what. "Uh... You decided to bake some cookies for once?"

"No," Zoë said, her eyes mischievous. "Guess."

I groaned. We had been doing this for almost five minutes, and my mind was whirring. To be honest, I did know what was going on. I knew and I still stupidly blurted out, "You decided to be my girlfriend?"

In all that was not supposed to come out. Zoë stared at me, the excited smile slipping off of her face. Her expression was shocked, yet pain was filled in her eyes as the words sunk in. She slowly started to back up.

"Wait, Zoë!" I yelled, even though she wasn't going anywhere. "Don't go! Please, just..."

Zoë stared at me some more, her obsidian eyes looking at me so intently, that I actually thought she was going to say yes, and we were going to be together and skip towards the sunset.

But things didn't work out that way.

Of course they didn't. Why would they, when my mind only ever thought of fairytales and foolish daydreams when it came to Zoë? Why oh ever, would I get a happy ending or an actual girl to show the dramatically changed world to. Why, why when I was born a demigod and subject to meet a terrible fate?

"I am sorry, Perseus," Zoë said eventually, as if she was actually thinking to phrase her words. "But I decided to become one of the hunters of Artemis and-"

"And you swore off boys for an eternity," I said.

"Yes," Zoë said slowly, as if she was finally putting two and two together- my comment from earlier sinking in like the Titanic.

But… Didn't the thought ever occur to you? I wanted to yell myself hoarse. Didn't all the times we had make us at least good friends? Or at least, a good enough relationship to tell me where you were?!

"Oh." I managed lamely instead, before it was I who started to back up. When I saw her look of slight panic, I smiled ruefully. "I guess you can't hug me anymore, huh, Zoë?"

She smiled a sad little smile that made me nostalgic for something long gone. "I suppose not, Percy, but..." She hugged me tight for one last time- and I tried to memorize exactly how it felt: the warmth, her new forest scent, her coarse yet soft hair...

She let go- before I could wrap my arms around her- and my arms went cold, even though it was summer by now. "Farewell, Percy Jackson."

The moon basked her in a beautiful light as she left, and all I could do was feel the litter goosebumps of warmth- ones I could never behold again.

Because Zoë Nightshade was gone for good this time: gallivanting across countries with her newfound family and an oath to swear off men.

She was a Hunter of Artemis now, and all I could do was nothing.

A/N: So if the ending seemed a little off, it's actually because I wrote the ending in the beginning, so I didn't plan out the whole story yet at that time. And by now it's been a long time since I wrote, so I wanted to stick with my original writing to fit the specific mood… I actually finished this chapter a year ago but didn't publish it; sorry.

Anyways, though, thanks to all of you for supporting me all throughout this story! I'm aware that Percy is quite OOC and kinda lovestruck and lovesick and all that heartbroken feels stuffs, but in the midst of the huge PJO archive, one more sappy story can't hurt. Thanks again everyone!

The Sorrowful Deity: Haha, nothing percynall about it, no worries :) Hopefully the ending wasn't too sorrowful though, I wrote it a year ago… Thanks for sticking with me all the way through!

monkeybaby: Thanks for all your support!

BlackIce8812: Thanks!